The door closed behind them, and when Bowers didn’t speak, Nic turned the floor over to Cam.“All right, Boston, lay the tactical out.”
“We proposed Transamerica Park,” Cam started as he opened his laptop.“Exits with gates on three sides, only three buildings hemming it in, and lots of vantage points, especially from the lower scaffolding of the Pyramid.”
“Becca shot it down,” Nic said.“As we expected she would.”
“But you were surprised by her alternative,” Bowers said.
“At first.”He turned the computer around, a layout of the South Park neighborhood on-screen.“You wouldn’t think South Park much better for her.An oval green, buildings on all sides, two exits at either end.”
“You know the area?”
Fair question.Cam hadn’t been in San Francisco long and he lived down on the Peninsula, not in the city.
“Chased a suspect through there this past winter,” Cam answered.“It’s a real bitch to cover.”
“Why’s that?”Bowers asked.
“Because there’re more than just two exits,” Nic said, his military training kicking in, the urban landscape coming to life in front of him.
Cam nodded.“There are narrow alleyways between, in front of, and behind buildings, and it’s a straight shot through on the ground floor of most.That’s what the perp did in January.Smashed through a plate glass window, ran the length of the place and out the back door.This time, we’ll put teams on the rooftops with wider vantage points to cover.”
“And teams on the surrounding intersections.”Nic pointed at the corners where Second and Third met either end of Bryant and Brannan.“Catch her there if we can’t capture her inside the target area.”
“That’s how we captured the last perp,” Cam said.“The street parking will also help.”He hovered his cursor over the cars bordering the center green.“At rush hour, most of these cars clear out and the residents flood in.My agents will flood in with them, go undetected during the switch.”
Not a foolproof plan—urban combat never was—but Cam had covered as many bases as he could.It would give them a better than decent shot at capturing Becca and rescuing Abby.They devolved into tactical planning, pointing out the best rooftops for optimal vantage points, until Bowers shifted in his squeaky chair, reminding them of his presence.
Would be pretty damn hard to ignore him after his next words.“That’s not how it’s going to go down.I want the person Becca’s working for.”
“Ifshe’s working for someone,” Nic said.“Maybe she’s the one calling the shots.”
Bowers gestured at the whiteboard.“Your case board says otherwise.”Nic cursed himself for the fucking question mark he’d scribbled above Becca’s picture.It was a fifty-fifty shot Bowers was right.
“What about Abby?”Cam said.“Percy?They third on your list now?”
“Both criminals,” Bowers replied, and Nic bristled.“You two keep forgetting that.”His black eyes bounced from Cam to Nic, then back to Cam.“Why not let Becca take him and see where they lead us?”
“No way,” Cam said.“This is my op.And it’s a trap, not an insertion.”
“This isouroperation,” Bowers said.“And with Aidan gone, I outrank you,AssistantSpecial Agent in Charge Byrne.”
“Abby’sourinformant,” Nic argued, interrupting the pissing match.“Percy isourbait.”He hated the word, but he’d use it if it brought Bowers around to his and Cam’s plan.“They could both end up dead if Becca figures us out.We can’t lose any more lives to this.That would get us more of the wrong kind of attention from DOJ.Once we capture Becca, we’ll question her about her boss.”
“If there is one,” Cam clipped, voice harsh, his patience with Bowers wearing thin.
As was Bowers’s with them.“You’re confident you can flip her?You haven’t flipped Scott or Mike yet.”
“Because they don’t know jack shit,” Cam replied.“Becca’s had her own plans for a while now.”
“We can flip her,” Nic said.“Without risking any more lives.”
Bowers stared them down several long seconds before pushing to his feet.
Nic was sure he was going to overrule them.What he gave them might’ve been worse.
“Fine, I’ll give you this one shot.”He stopped over the threshold, his dark eyes cold and hard.“It’s a short rope, gentlemen.”
Yet just long enough to hang themselves.
